Ageratum plant named ‘Sage85015’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ageratum  plant named ‘Sage85015’, characterized by its tall, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; very freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; and inflorescences rayless with violet-colored disc florets.

Botanical designation: Ageratum houstonianum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sage85015’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Ageratum Plant Named ‘Sage00591’; Diony de Bont, Applicant; disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/146,229.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ageratum plant, botanically known as Ageratum houstonianum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sage85015’.

The new Ageratum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Ageratum houstonianum cultivar Red Top, not patented. The new Ageratum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within a population of plants of the cultivar Red Top in a controlled environment in Ter Aar, The Netherlands in 2001. The selection of the new Ageratum was based on its compact plant habit, strong plant growth, large inflorescences and attractive floret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ageratum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Ter Aar, The Netherlands since October, 2002, has shown that the unique features of the new Ageratum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Ageratum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Sage85015’ and distinguish the new Ageratum as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Tall, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plants.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Very freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per         plant.     -   5. Inflorescences rayless with violet-colored disc florets.

Plants of the new Ageratum differ from plants of the parent, the cultivar Red Top, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ageratum were more uniform than plants of         the cultivar Red Top.     -   2. Plants of the new Ageratum had larger inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Red Top.     -   3. Plants of the new Ageratum and the cultivar Red Top differed         in disc floret coloration.

Plants of the new Ageratum differ from plants of the cultivar Sage00591, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/146,229, primarily in disc floret coloration.

Plants of the new Ageratum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Blue Hawaii, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Ageratum differed from plants of the cultivar Blue Hawaii in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ageratum were taller and more vigorous than         plants of the cultivar Blue Hawaii.     -   2. Plants of the new Ageratum were stronger and had thicker         lateral branches than plants of the cultivar Blue Hawaii.     -   3. Plants of the new Ageratum had larger inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Blue Hawaii.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ageratum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sage85015’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Sage85015’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in an outdoor nursery under full sunlight during the summer and fall with day temperatures averaging 27° C. and night temperatures averaging 16° C. Plants were grown in 13-cm containers. Plants were pinched one time. Plants had been growing for about four months when the photographs and description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ageratum houstonianum cultivar Sage85015. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Ageratum     houstonianum cultivar Red Top, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 8 days at 18° C.         -   Time to product a rooted cutting, summer.—About 14 weeks at             21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 18 weeks at             18° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.         -   Rooting description.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Inverted triangle; tall, upright and             mounded plant form with dense foliage and inflorescences             held above and beyond the foliage. Vigorous and strong             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 55 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 42 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About five             primary lateral branches; each with about two to three             secondary lateral branches. Length: About 44 cm. Diameter:             About 8 mm. Internode length: About 4.5 to 5 cm. Aspect:             Upright to slightly outwardly spreading. Strength: Very             strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 145B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Initially opposite             becoming alternate on flowering branches; simple. Length:             About 6.7 cm. Width: About 5.5 cm. Shape: Cordate. Apex:             Broadly acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Crenate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About 2.4 cm. Petiole             diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color: Developing foliage, upper             surface: 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A;             venation, 147D. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B;             venation, 147D. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. -   Inflorescences description:     -   -   Appearance/arrangement.—Rayless inflorescences arranged in             terminal and axillary cymes. Very freely flowering habit             with about four cymes per lateral branch each with about             twelve inflorescences. Disc florets develop acropetally on a             capitulum. Inflorescences persistent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower             during the spring and summer in Southern California; plants             flower continuously during this period.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about 10 to 14             days on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Cyme diameter.—About 3 to 3.5 cm.         -   Cyme height.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 9 mm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 4 mm.         -   Inflorescence buds, at stage of showing color.—Height: About             5 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Slightly             more red than 79A.         -   Ray florets.—No ray florets observed.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 104. Shape:             Tubular, elongated; apex, five-pointed; base, fused. Length:             About 5 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1.5 mm. Diameter, base:             Less than 1 mm. Color: Immature: More red than 79A. Mature,             apex: 83A. Mature, mid-section: 77D. Mature, base: 155A.         -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Quantity per inflorescence:             About 30 in two whorls. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Glabrous, smooth. Texture,             lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 144B. Color,             lower surface: 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 45°             from vertical. Length, terminal inflorescence: About 6 mm.             Length, second inflorescence: About 6 mm. Length, third             inflorescence: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: No stamens observed.             Gynoecium: Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About             8 mm. Stigma shape: Bifurcate. Stigma color: 79B. Style             length: About 7 mm. Style color: 79C to 79D. Ovary color:             155A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Ageratums has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. -   Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Ageratum have been     observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures from 2 to     32° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ageratum plant named ‘Sage85015’, as illustrated and described. 